Improvement in bridle-bits



tran-STATES PATENT FFICE.

HIRAM LOOKARD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO THOMAS AGENSY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRIDLE-BITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,081, dated April 13, 1875; application filed February 19, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM LocKARD, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Bridle-Bits, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in improvements made on bridle-bit of HIRAM LOOKARD (myself) and THOMAS AGrENsJ for which an application, now pending, was led in the Patent Office November 6, 1874.

In my description of my improvement by the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the bit. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same. Fig. 3 is a central section of the mouth-piece, showing a hinge-joint. Fig. 4 is a view of a possible variation of the outer end of the levers, not requiring the rings.

The invention above referred to (of LOCK- 'ARD and AGENS) has a metal spring noseband,77 combined with certain stops on the mouth-piece of an ordinary snafe-bit.

In my improvement, A is a nose-band, made of metal, leather, or other material, connected, by the cheek-pieces B, with the mouthpiece C of any bridle-bit.

The connection with the bit, in the former application, was by the cheek-piece, having a hole in it, and slipping on the end of the mouth-piece, and held, near the end, by a stop, in the shape of a flange or shoulder on said mouth-piece; but in myimprovement the the cheek-piece has, from its outer surface, lips D, by which it is riveted, loose, to the month-piece, at a short distance from the eX- treme outer end.

The ends of the 'mouth-piece, outside of the cheek-piece, are bent over forward toward the front of the nose-band, to form a lever-arm, E. At the end of this lever is the ring f, to which the rein will be attached.

Thus it will be seen that the draft of the reins on the lever-arm increases the purchase, over our former bit, in holding a hard-mouthed horse, the action, as shown in our former application, being that the nose-band passes around the nose of the horse directly in front of the mouth-piece, and the reins draw back directly on a line with this nose-band, and a hard strain throws the joint H forward on a line of the nose-band, between the ends of it, into the roof of the horses mouth, and stops him immediately. The draft is not at all on the lower jaw, but entirely across the nose.

The bit, in this application, is further improved by the leather linings I on the inside of the cheek-pieces, to protect the mouth from the frostiness of these pieces in cold weather, and also from a liability of this riveted joint pinching the lips. This lining is held in position by the cheek-straps of the bridle being buckled through the loop L, holding the cheekpiece and lining together.

In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the joint in the mouth-piece is a hinge made by the two ends K beingshouldered and lapped, and held by the rivet m and the broad heads or washers O. This is far superior to the common loose joint, and the joint is stronger, and the smooth surface of the washers is more acceptable in the roof ofthe mouth and on the tongue.

P is a strap, attached to the front of the nose-band, to which a face-strap, running to the head of the bridle, may be buckled, it' desirable.

ln specifying the use of a leather or other strap as a nose-band, I am aware that a strap has often been used about the nose; but, so far as I know, it has always been connected with the cheek-strap, above the mouth-piece, and never with the mouth-piece direct, as I connect it, for the purpose of draft. With my improvement in the use ofthe levers a leather band riveted to it may answer as well as a metal spring-band.

- I claim- V l. In a bridle-bit, the nose-band A, having the lips D of its cheek-pieces secured to the mouth-piece C, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The mouth-piece, with the lever-arms E, in combination with the cheek-pieces of the nose-band, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose named.

HIRAM LOGKARD. Witnesses:

HORACE HARRIS, UHAs. P. Ross. 

